Improvement in fences



A. ZIMMEBER. Pence Patented April 30,1878.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES v (UNITED STATES PATENT OE IcE.

ANTON ZIMMERER, OF NEBRASKA CITY, NEBRASKA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,099 dated April 30, 1878; application filed March 25. 1878.

N specification:

The object of my invention is to provide an improved means for supporting iron fences, and for facilitating turning or adjusting the posts for the purpose of securing or looking the top rail thereto.

I provide the lower ends of each fence-post .with a screw-thread, and support it by a metallic plate having a central threaded screwhole to receive the threaded end of the post, said plate being attached to a block set firmly in the earth. Each post isnotched at its upper end, and the top rails have oblong slots, so that the rails may be secured to the posts by inserting their ends through the slots and then turning the posts in their screw-sockets, as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved fence, partly broken out. Fig.- 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the top rail. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the posts.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A are the fence-posts, made of -fiat, square, or round iron or steel, and having threads cut for a distance on its lower end a. B is an iron or steel plate, provided with a threaded hole for receiving the threaded lower end of the post A, and secured by screws or nails 1) to the upper surface of the block C, which latter able tension by simply turning the posts more or less in the threaded holes of the plates B. The top rail D of the fence consists of a flat bar of iron, or some combination metal, on

which the barbs d are formed by chisel-cuts on the opposite edges, as seen in the drawing. The rail D is secured on the posts A, and prevented from being lifted off them by being provided with slots (1, suitable to receive the upper end of each post, which latter is flattened on two opposite sides to give it an oblong shape of cross-section, slightly smaller than the slot d and of similar shape. A little below the extreme upper end of the post the oblong figure of cross seetion is reduced by a notch, a, at each of its ends sufficiently to leave the remaining central portion between the notches a little smaller than the width of the slot d.

The rail D, being placed in position, is locked to the posts by turning the latter about one-fourth of a turn, so as to bring the notched part of the posttransversely to the slot (1, and cause the opposite inner edges of the rail D adjacent to the slot to enter and be clamped in the notches a. This part, should it be deemed prudent to the inventor, may be extended clear down to the lowest practical part of the post, in order to use all iron rails instead of wire.

I am aware slotted top rails have been secured to fixed fence-posts by turning the rails thereon, and I therefore restrict my claim accordingly.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenta 1. The combination of the fence -post A, threaded at its lower end, with the metallic plate B, provided with a threaded hole, and secured by screws or nails b upon the supporting-block O of the fence, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of a top rail having oblong slots, posts A, notched at their upper ends and screw-threaded at their lower ends, and the screw-plates B, as shown and described, whereby said posts may be turned to lock the top rails, as specified.

ANTON ZIMMERER.

Witnessesi J. G. KEEs, J No. HYER. 

